Hibiscus plant named ‘15516 GR’

ABSTRACT

‘15516 GR’ is a new and distinct hardy herbaceous Hibiscus hybrid with novel characteristics that include upright branched stems, numerous, outward-facing, flowers that are between dark red and dark purplish red with a dark red center eye, a prolonged blooming season, and cordate leaves.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Hibiscus hybrid (L.).

Cultivar denomination: ‘15516 GR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the new and distinct Hibiscus plant ‘15516 GR’. ‘15516 GR’ was generated from a cross performed on Jun. 22, 2014 near Vernon, Tex. between ‘11490-5’ (pod parent, unpatented) and ‘13028-2’ (pollen parent, unpatented). The pedigrees of each parent reflect a complex mixture of Hibiscus species. The pedigree of the pod parent includes H. mocheutos and H. coccineus. The pedigree of the pollen parent includes H. mocheutos, H. coccineus, H. militaris, and H. dasycalyx. The seed from this cross was harvested on Jul. 30, 2014 and the ‘15516 GR’ seedling was selected in the summer of 2015. ‘15516 GR’ was first asexually propagated near Vernon, Tex. in 2016 by stem tip cuttings. The resulting as well as subsequent asexually propagated plants have been stable and true to type throughout successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘15516 GR’ differs from its parents and all other known hardy herbaceous Hibiscus plants. The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of ‘15516 GR’: (1) it is a hardy perennial with a relatively compact growth habit; (2) it blooms profusely over a prolonged season; and (3) its flowers exhibit a background that is between dark red (RHS 59A) and dark purplish red (RHS 59B) and a center eye that is between dark red (RHS 187A) and dark red (RHS 187B).

‘15516 GR’ plants can be readily and unambiguously distinguished from those of its parents. ‘15516 GR’ plants exhibit flowers that are between dark red (RHS 59A) and dark purplish red (RHS 59B) that have an average diameter of 22 cm and cordate leaves. Whereas, ‘11490-5’ plants (pod parent) exhibit vivid red (RHS 45A) flowers that have an average diameter of 18 cm and lobed leaves; and ‘13028-2’ plants (pollen parent) exhibit deep purplish red (RHS 187D) flowers that have an average diameter of 12.5 cm and hastate leaves.

‘Heartthrob’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,760) is the Hibiscus plant that exhibits flowers that are colored most similarly to those of ‘15516 GR’. Nonetheless, plants of ‘15516 GR’ and ‘Heartthrob’ can also be readily and unambiguously distinguished from one another at least based upon flower shape, petal shape, plant height, flowering time, and flowering amount. Plants of ‘15516 GR’ are taller and exhibit earlier and more profuse flowering and petals that are less overlapping and more elongated than plants of ‘Heartthrob’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

‘15516 GR’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form, foliage, flowers, and leaves. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1—Shows a ‘15516 GR’ flower as seen looking slightly askew from the adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year-old plant.

FIG. 2—Shows a ‘15516 GR’ flower as seen looking slightly askew from the adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year-old plant.

FIG. 3—Shows a ‘15516 GR’ leaf.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘15516 GR’. The detailed description was obtained using two-year-old plants grown in loamy sand, open-field, full sun trials at a nursery near Vernon, Tex., during which the plants were supplemented with fertilizer and water as needed. These plants are natural habit and were not treated with plant growth regulators and they were not pinched at any time in the growth year. ‘15516 GR’ has not been observed under all possible environments, and certain characteristics may vary slightly under different environmental conditions. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2001 (4^(th) edition).

-   Propagation:     -   -   Method.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots from stem cuttings after treating             cuttings with a commercial rooting hormone.—About 2 weeks             under misting and at an air temperature of 85° C.         -   Rooting habit.—Normal, branching, fleshy, and developing a             thick diameter (to about 2.5 cm).         -   Root color.—Pale yellow (between RHS 161D and RHS 162D),             depending on soil type.         -   Crop time (under normal summer growing conditions and when             grown in a 4 L container from a rooted cutting).—8 to 10             weeks to flower with very good plant vigor. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Hardy herbaceous perennial with 8 to             10 thick upright and branched main stems producing an             upright spreading mound about 100.0 cm tall and 95.0 cm             wide, which is widest about 50 cm above the soil line.         -   Primary branches.—8 to 16 per main stem that protrude at             about a 45° angle from horizontal.         -   Lateral branches.—On the middle half of the primary stems.         -   Lateral branch size.—Between 15 cm and 30 cm long (shorter             at the upper nodes) and with an average diameter of 8.0 mm             at their base.         -   Flower location.—Upper ⅓ of the plant beginning at axillary             nodes while still developing at the apex.         -   Stem.—Rounded, glabrous, glaucous; averages about 100 cm             tall and 3.5 cm diameter at their base.         -   Stem color.—Between brilliant yellowish green (RHS 134C) and             strong yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Internode.—About 18 nodes per stem below flower and about 32             total, average internode length is about 4.5 cm of unpinched             plant, but varies between 2.0 to 6.0 cm and are widest in             middle portion of stem. -   Foliage:     -   -   Shape.—Cordate with slightly indented margins.         -   Texture.—Adaxial and abaxial matte.         -   Leaf blade size.—To about 20.0 cm long and 10.0 cm wide,             larger proximally and becoming smaller in distal portion of             stem.         -   Foliage color.—Adaxial and abaxial strong yellowish green             (RHS 135C).         -   Veins.—Palmate; adaxial and abaxial veins moderate yellowish             green (RHS 139D).         -   Petiole size (average).—9.0 cm long and 5.0 mm wide.         -   Petiole color.—Between moderate yellow (RHS 163C) and light             yellow (RHS 163D). -   Flowers:     -   -   Buds.—One day prior to opening about 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm             in diameter, pointed apex and bluntly rounded base, unopened             petals wrinkled at veins; and, prior to showing petals,             about 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter, ovoid with acute             apex.         -   Bud color.—Exposed petal dark red (RHS 59A) toward apex with             veins of the same coloration.         -   Epicalyx.—Entire, smooth, puberulent both surfaces, linear             with sharply acute apex and attenuate base, curved around             sepals; typically 8 to 12 per flower; about 2.5 cm long             tapering to base of about 3.0 mm wide.         -   Epicalyx color.—Adaxial and abaxial strong yellowish green             (RHS 135C).         -   Sepals.—5, proximal half connate forming campanulate             star-shaped calyx; acute apex; margin entire, edentate;             puberulent abaxial glabrous adaxial; individually about 3.5             cm long and about 2.5 cm wide at fusion point. From the             upper side of the flower, sepals slightly visible as a star             shape in the center of the flower.         -   Sepal color.—Abaxial and adaxial color strong yellowish             green (RHS 135C).         -   Flowers.—Solitary, about 20 to 30 per main stem without             pinching; primarily outwardly facing; average 22 cm across,             larger in early part of flowering season; persist for one to             two days, depending on temperature; effective for at least             14 weeks beginning early July and lasting into October             (north Texas), no detectable fragrance.         -   Petals.—5; glabrous, slightly lustrous in the center and             dull both front and back toward middle and perimeter, adnate             to the androecium to form a column, slightly imbricate to             about 10% overlapping at widest part (petals about 20%             overlapping the next petal to either side). Veins: Palmately             veined, primary and secondary veins impressed on front and             ribbed on back; veins extend from the eye zone. Shape:             Rounded. Margins: Entire, edentate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Short claw-like. Surface: Adaxial and abaxial glabrous,             ribbed. Size (average): About 11.0 cm long and about 10.0 cm             wide at widest portion (largest in earlier part of flowering             season); center dark eye about 4.0 cm diameter. Color:             Adaxial and abaxial nearest between dark red (RHS 59A) and             dark purplish red (RHS 59B), center eye between dark red             (RHS 187A) and dark red (RHS 187B).         -   Gynoecium.—Style: Enclosed in column about 7.5 cm long and             0.5 cm wide at base; column color dark red (RHS 59A); style             protruding from column and split in distal 10.0 mm portion             into typically 5 branches, branch diameter 2.0 mm; branch             color nearest dark red (RHS 59A). Stigma: Typically 5;             globose, puberulose, about 3.0 mm in diameter; color nearest             dark red (RHS 59A). Ovary: Superior, about 6.5 mm across at             base and 6.0 mm tall; acute apex.         -   Androecium.—Filaments: Numerous, about 140; less than 1.0 mm             in diameter and about 5.0 mm long; attached along nearly the             entire length of column; color nearest pale purplish pink             (RHS 62D). Anthers: Reniform; about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide;             nearest light yellow (RHS 163D). Pollen: Numerous, globose,             less than 0.1 mm long; color light yellow (RHS 163D).         -   Pedicel.—Rounded in cross section, finely puberulent; length             from base of sepal to abscission point average 1.5 cm long             and 4.0 mm wide, longer on early flowers decreasing in later             flowers; color brilliant yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Peduncle.—Rounded, puberulent, average about 6.0 cm long             from abscission point to stem and 4.0 mm wide, slightly             longer on earlier flowers.         -   Peduncle color.—Brilliant yellowish green (RHS 135C).         -   Fruit.—Few, loculicidal capsule; glabrous; globose,             occasionally with abruptly acute apex; color between light             yellowish brown (RHS 199C) and dark grayish yellow (RHS             199D) when mature.         -   Seed.—Minutely floccose, typically globose; about 3.0 mm in             diameter; color between dark grayish reddish brown (RHS             200A) and moderate brown (RHS 200C). -   Resistance: The plant grows best with plenty of moisture, but is     able to tolerate some drought once established. Other pest and     disease resistance beyond that of other hardy perennial Hibiscus     cultivars has not been observed. Hardiness at least from USDA Zone 4     through 9. -   Commercial use: Suitable for potted plant culture, landscaping as a     specimen or en masse, and especially suited for patios and confined     spaces because of the compact habit. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus hybrid (L.) plant named ‘15516 GR’ as shown and described herein. 